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Surrey street light switch-off

Egham resident Gemma Goodman, said she chose to live in the area because of the good transport links it offers.

"However," she said. "Now the street lights have been switched off at midnight it means that I will have to get a taxi home from the station because it is now unsafe to walk home if I get the last train.

"I don't feel that the projected savings of £200k are justified compared with the impact county-wide and the increased cost for residents of getting taxis, installing outside lights etc."

Writing to his councillor and MP about the switch-off, another Ashford resident Tony O'Rouke added: "My daughter just arrived home from a night out by car and drove into a road where she normally parks, and the street lights were out.

"Not only could she not see how close to the kerb to park, but she felt vulnerable in the almost pitch dark side road she was in.

"If this is how she has experienced the switch off by SCC can you imagine what impact this will have on other vulnerable women at night in the area."

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Runnymede and Spelthorne, as well as Tandridge and Woking were in the fourth and final phase of the scheme.

Surrey County Council, in conjunction with Surrey Police , says it carried out risk assessments on each road to determine if switching off the lights between 12am and 5am would increase crime, antisocial behaviour or affect driving safety.

The change.org petition states the switch-off "endangers the safety of anyone who is out during this time".

It adds: "Anyone who was working late, coming back home on a late train; people who are out having a nice time; night shift workers; everyone who works 24x7 like the NHS staff in the A&E; retail staff accepting deliveries overnight, van drivers, emergency support workers."